MICK LILLIS IS the new Laois senior football manager.
The appointment of Lillis on a three-year term was ratified this evening, as he succeeds Tomás Ó Flatharta who stepped down following the All-Ireland qualifier defeat to Antrim earlier this year.
The Portlaoise clubman, who is a native of Clare, lined out for both the Banner county and Laois during a playing career which saw him win an All-Ireland senior club title with Portlaoise in 1983.
Lillis guided the Laois minor footballers this year and has also managed Portlaoise to six Laois SFC titles, as well as winning SFC titles in Carlow and Kildare with Palatine and St Laurence’s respectively.
Lillis was the preferred choice of a selection committee which consisted of Kilkenny hurling selector and Laois native Mick Dempsey, as well as county board chairman Gerry Kavanagh and treasurer Martin Byrne. He saw off competition for the job from ex-Laois players Leo Turley and Joe Higgins.
Elsewhere in Laois, Cheddar Plunkett and his team have been reappointed to the helm of the county’s senior hurlers.
Meanwhile, as expected, Fergal O’Donnell and Kevin McStay were ratified as joint-managers of the Roscommon senior football team at tonight’s monthly meeting of the county board.
O’Donnell and McStay will be assisted by selector Stephen Bohan, with coaches David Casey and Liam McHale also among the backroom team.
